Field
Exemplary embodiments relate to a submodule for high voltage batteries, and more particularly, to a submodule for high voltage batteries, in which a voltage sensing module and an electrode tap of a high voltage battery cell are elastically coupled to each other, thereby protecting the high voltage battery cell from an external force and preventing a contact defect is between the electrode tap and the voltage sensing module.
Discussion of the Background
Generally, hybrid electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, and electric vehicles are driven by an electric motor and are necessarily equipped with a high voltage battery that supplies a driving power to the electric motor.
The high voltage battery is repeatedly charged and discharged to supply a necessary power while a vehicle is driving.
The high voltage battery generally includes five battery modules.
Moreover, the five battery modules each include a plurality of battery submodules with a plurality of high voltage battery cells.
The plurality of high voltage battery cells are generally coupled to each other by an upper housing and a lower housing that respectively support an upper portion and a lower portion of the high voltage battery cells.
In this case, the high voltage battery cells are stacked surface-to-surface.
The high voltage battery cells may be manufactured as various types.
Particularly, a pouched type high voltage battery cell which is being recently and widely used among various types of high voltage battery cells uses an aluminum laminate sheet having flexibility as an external member and thus has a type which is easily bent.
The pouched type high voltage battery cell is small in weight and is low in manufacturing cost, and thus, is recently attracting much attention.
However, the pouched type high voltage battery cell is easily bent, and for this reason, when excessive force is applied from the outside, the pouched type high voltage battery cell is easily damaged.
Consequently, electrolyte inside the high voltage battery cell may leak outside the high voltage battery cell through a damaged part, or a gas may jet through the damaged part.
Moreover, a high voltage battery cell module and a pack are generally configured by stacking a plurality of pouched type high voltage battery cells, and for this reason, when electrolyte inside a specific high voltage battery cell leaks, gas is jetted, or an explosion occurs causing high voltage battery cells adjacent to the compromised high voltage battery cell to be damaged.
Moreover, since a high voltage battery is a structure which is configured by a combination of high voltage battery cells, the stability and operation efficiency of some high voltage battery cells are greatly reduced by overvoltage, overcurrent, and overheating.
Therefore, a means for detecting overvoltage, overcurrent, and overheating, which occur in high voltage battery cells, is needed. A voltage sensor or the like is connected to a high voltage battery cell, and an operating state is checked in real time or at certain intervals.
In this context, since the application range of high voltage batteries is widened, the high voltage battery is used as a power source for a vehicle, even when a strong impact or vibration is applied to the battery, the detection means should maintain a stable connection state.
Generally, in high voltage batteries, a voltage sensing module connected to a printed circuit board (PCB) and a voltage sensor may be coupled to an electrode tap, installed on a side surface of a high voltage battery cell, through welding.
Since the electrode tap is coupled to the voltage sensing module through welding, the high voltage battery cell is repeatedly expanded and contracted in charging or discharging, and for this reason, a welded portion is damaged, causing a contact defect between the electrode tap and the voltage sensing module.
Therefore, while a battery is operating, heating may become severe, and consequently, fire and explosion may occur, causing stability problems.
For this reason, in the art, research is being done on high voltage batteries in which a high voltage battery cell is easily bent to prevent damage of the high voltage battery cell, and a contact defect which occurs when an electrode tap and a voltage sensing module are damaged is prevented. However, a satisfactory result is obtained to date.